The most recent set of South African design guidelines for rural water-supply systems are those published by the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in 2004 (DWAF 2004), which offer only a few points pertaining specifically to standpipe design:

Standpipes should be a maximum walking distance of 200 m from the home.

A maximum of 25 households or 100 people should be served by a standpipe.

The flow rate should not be less than 10 litres/minute.

The maximum static pressure should be 90 m.

The minimum pressure should be 6 m when 80% of the standpipes in the system are open.

An isolating valve should be provided at each standpipe.

The tap should preferably be a pushbutton or self-closing type.

The tap should be high enough for a container to fit underneath.

A stand should preferably be provided for the container, with the tap higher up.

A concrete plinth should be provided to drain the water into a soak-away sump with crushed stone.